3Rs - search page

ICLAS is an international scientific organization dedicated to advancing human and animal health by promoting the ethical care and use of laboratory animals in research worldwide.

Vaccination of animals against disease protects them from suffering. However, this comes with an animal welfare cost - the safety and efficacy of vaccines is assessed in experimental animals and the tests involved can cause significant pain and distress. There is an ethical dilemma in protecting one set of animals at the expense of others but implementation of the 3Rs can help to resolve this. The research animals department works with researchers involved in vaccine testing and regulators to promote the 3Rs in this important area.

Modern human-relevant technology has the potential to provide answers traditionally sought through animal research. Yet in many of these areas there is little momentum to transition away from animal use. Education is a key driver that helps increase the impetus for change.

Replacing Animal Research believes that a whole system approach to replacing animals in research is the best way to facilitate change and ensure the development and uptake of human-relevant research methods. This system is driven by the work and choices made by various stakeholders including funders, journal editors, regulators, industry, academics, legislators, and of course scientists. Relevant training and awareness of the current research landscape are important in these roles to help inform valid scientific and ethical choices, and help prioritise non-animal research.. Through education it is possible to share information about the system, develop confidence in the use of alternative methods, and challenge the use of animals in different areas of research and testing.

The Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods (CCAAM) and the Canadian Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (CaCVAM) aim to develop, validate, and promote non-animal, human biology-based platforms in biomedical research, education, and chemical safety testing.